This invention relates to an adapter for use with a female slide on coaxial connector member. More specifically, an adapter is disclosed which is connectable to a female slide on type coaxial connector member for altering the configuration of the mating end thereof to approximate the configuration of the mating end of a prior art coupling type connector member. By this arrangement, a slide on type connector member can be readily mated with a coupling type connector member without the addition of an extra interface therebetween which would degrade the characteristics of the electrical connection.
In recent years, there has been developed a group of industry standard, high frequency coaxial connectors. The specific configuration of these coupling type coaxial connectors has been embodied in Military Specifications 39012/80A and 83A. The latter specifications included designs for both a male jack connector member and a female plug connector member, respectively. These coaxial connectors have gained wide acceptance in the industry since they provided excellent high frequency characteristics, and can be utilized to carry frequencies in the range of up to 18 GHZ. One shortcoming of these prior art electrical connectors is that in order to produce a high frequency connection, it is necessary to use a coupling nut to draw the opposed mating connector members together to achieve a secure interengagement therebetween. Thus, in applications where limited space would preclude access to the coupling nuts, these coupling type connector members could not be effectively utilized.
In order to overcome this shortcoming, a new and improved coaxial connector was developed which was capable of achieving a high frequency interengagement without the need of a coupling nut. More particularly, a new slide on type electrical connector was developed, which is disclosed in copending U.S. Patent Application No. 135,004, assigned to the same assignee as the subject invention (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference), and is operative to achieve a redundant or dual electrical connection between the opposed connector members thereby providing the characteristics necessary for high frequency applications. While the unique slide on type coaxial connector overcomes many of the shortcomings of the coupling type coaxial connector, the two types of connectors are incompatable. More specifically, a slide on connector member cannot be directly mated to a coupling connector member and thus, it is necessary to provide some type of intermediary interface therebetween. For example, a cable may be provided having at one end thereof the mating configuration of a coupling connector member, while the opposed end of the cable is provided with the configuration of a slide on connector member.
While new equipment is manufactured which exclusively utilizes the improved slide on connectors, mismatches between connectors will frequently occur when new equipment needs to be hooked up to earlier manufactured devices. For example, new test equipment must be mated in the field with devices having coupling connectors. Also improved black-box type devices are often installed to update existing equipment. In practice, test equipment and so called black box devices, which are movable, are provided with female or jack type connector members. Conversely, fixed immovable equipment are generally provided with male or plug type connector members. This arrangement is common since the protruding plug of a male connector member is easily damaged and therefore it is preferable to mount the male connector member on immovable equipment, rather than test equipment, which is frequently transported, such that the risk of damage to the plug is minimized. Thus, the most frequent situations where mismatches occur is where a female slide on type connector member, mounted on new test equipment, must be mated with a male coupling type connector member found on devices in the field.
One solution to this mismatch problem is to provide a flexible cable having at one end thereof the mating configuration of a female coupling connector member, and at the other end the configuration of a male slide on connector member. This type of interface will bridge the gap between a male coupling connector member and a female slide on connector member. One of the shortcomings of using the above described connector cables, is that the additional length of wire between the connector members tends to degrade the performance of the connection. Even more importantly, this type of connector cable introduces two interfaces where before there was only one. More specifically, a coupling interface is introduced at both of the connector members. Since the electrical characteristics of a connector, especially in high frequency application ranges, is severely effected by each additional interface, the use of a connector cable which effectively doubles the number of interfaces per electrical connection, results in a substantial and undesirable degradation of electrical performance. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a means for connecting a female slide on connector member directly to a male coupling connector member wherein only a single interface between the members is necessary thereby maintaining the performance characteristics of the connection.
Therefore, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved adapter for use in conjunction with high frequency coaxial connectors which permits the direct connection between a female slide on connector member and a male coupling connector member.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide an adapter that is mounted on a female slide on connector member which alters the configuration of the mating end of the latter to approximate the configuration of a female coupling connector member.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide an adapter which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and may be removably mounted on a female slide on connector member to facilitate a direct, single interface connection with a male coupling connector member.
In accordance with these and many other objects, the subject invention provides for an adapter which is connectable to the mating end of a female slide on coaxial connector member. The female slide on connector member includes a central conductor surrounded by a tubular insulator and has a generally cylindrical outer conductor. The mating end of the outer conductor is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending slits which define a plurality of cantilevered spring fingers that flare radially outwardly towards the mating end thereof. The outer conductor further includes a threaded portion which is spaced from the mating end of the conductor and has a diameter greater than the diameter of the outer conductor adjacent the mating end.
The new and improved adapter of the subject invention has a generally elongated cylindrical configuration, with the outer surface thereof being threaded and having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of a female coupling type coaxial connector member. The inner surface of the adapter is provided with major and minor diameter portions separated by a circumferential step. The minor diameter portion, which is disposed adjacent the mating end of the adapter, has a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the mating end of the female slide on connector member. The major diameter portion, which is disposed adjacent the opposed end of the adapter, is provided with a plurality of threads which are adapted to engage the threaded portion of the outer conductor of the female slide on connector member. Preferably, the opposed end of the adapter is additionally provided with a hexagonal outer configuration to facilitate the tightening of the adapter onto the female connector.
In use, the mating end of the female slide on connector member is received within the end of the adapter. More particularly, the cantilevered spring fingers are compressed and received in the minor diameter portion of the adapter. The threaded portion of the female connector is engaged with the threaded portion of the major diameter portion of the adapter. When the adapter is fully tightened onto the slide on connector member, the distal end of the threaded portion of the latter is in abutting relationship with the circumferential step of the adapter. The dimensions of the adapter are so arranged that the mating end of the combined connector member and adapter substantially corresponds to the configuration of a female coupling type connector member. The combined adapter-connector member can then be directly mated with a male coupling connector member, and a coupling nut may be used to insure that a high frequency electrical contact is achieved therebetween.
Other objects and advantages of the subject invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: